Self-care is the simple act of making time for yourself, using varied techniques to look after your wellbeing.

Practising a good self-care routine can improve your mental and physical health, brighten your mood and reduce anxiety. From getting a good night’s sleep to having a bubble bath, it’s all about making small purposeful efforts to take care of ourselves. 

The St. Eval team are huge advocates for self-care and with our Office Team now both living and working in the same place, it’s more important than ever to set boundaries and create a self-care routine to provide normality and keep spirits high. 

This week, Lucy and Sara-Jayne look into different ways adopting simple self-care actions can help us to relax and take care of our mind, body and soul. These simple steps can improve wellbeing and result in a happier work-life balance. With busy jobs, households and families to take care of it is easy to forget to take some well-deserved ‘me time’. Overworking can leave us feeling exhausted, emotionally depleted and can often lead to health issues such as anxiety, depression and insomnia. 

Lucy & Sara-Jayne's Top Self-Care Tips

Lucy and Sara-Jayne share their top self-care tips for relaxing and taking care of your mind, body and soul.

Screen-Free Time

Sara-Jayne shares the importance of spending time away from screens: “While TV, computers and phones are a welcome distraction and easy to pass the time, they can have negative effects on our sleep patterns. Scheduling screen-free time, especially before going to bed, is valuable. Why not read a book or try listening to a podcast instead?”

Pamper Evening

 

Lucy recommends setting one evening a week to have some ‘me time’: “A bath with a lovely body scrub, face mask and a relaxing soundtrack encourages feelings of comfort and easiness, which allows your mind, and subsequently your body, to relax.”

Exercise

From a 30-minute dog walk to a HIIT workout at home, keeping moving will improve both your mental and physical health."I always make sure to get out and move every day” Sara-Jayne explains, “exercise not only benefits our physical health but has been shown to release endorphins which helps to reduce stress, therefore, helping our mental health as well!”

Get in touch with a loved one

Studies have shown that emotional support provided by social connections helps to reduce stress and can foster a sense of meaning and purpose in life. Lucy explains: “Taking the time to catch up with friends and family is important now more than ever, we are fortunate that with technology it means that staying in touch is easy. Regular contact with my friends and family instils some normality in these difficult times.”

A moment of relaxation to try at home… 

Self-care isn’t just about eating right or looking after your mental health. Your well-being and skincare routine both play a part in self-care. From bathing with your favourite body scrub to relaxing with the soothing scents of a St. Eval candle, there is a myriad of self-care tips you can add to your beauty routine.

Trips out for essentials may mean that you have had to skip picking up some of your usual treats, so we’ve shared two recipes for you to try at home.

Remember, you can swap out ingredients for alternatives you already have! The oil could be olive, coconut, avocado or grapeseed oil. Similarly, if you don’t have granulated sugar, brown would be a good substitute. Or leave out the lemon and add a few drops of your favourite essential oil, customise to what suits you and your skin.

Lucy’s Homemade Citrus & Honey Body Scrub 

Ingredients

• ½ cup Olive Oil
• 1 tbsp Honey
• 2 cups granulated Sugar
• Zest of 1 small Lemon

Method

1. Mix together the honey and oil
2. Stir in the sugar
3. Add the citrus zest
4. Store in an airtight container

Apply to body and massage in, gently rinse with warm water and your favourite St. Eval Hand Soap, then pat dry revealing silky smooth skin.

Sara-Jayne’s Homemade Avocado, Honey & Oatmeal Face Mask

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp Honey
• ½ ripe Avocado
• 1 handful of Oatmeal
• ½ cup St. Eval Hand Lotion

Method

1. Mash the avocado until creamy
2. Blend 2 tbsp honey
3. Mix in a handful of oatmeal
4. Add ½ cup of Lotion
5. Store in the fridge, use within 2-3 days.

Apply to the skin and leave for 10-15mins, gently rinse with warm water revealing smooth and nourished skin.

Treat yourself to a luxurious hand massage

 

Washing hands frequently can result in them becoming dry and cracked. To help combat this we suggest an evening ritual of a simple hand massage with your favourite lotion. Massage can reduce muscle tension, improve circulation, increase joint mobility and flexibility and reduce feelings of stress and anxiety.

• Make a tight fist with each hand then stretch out your fingers as far as you can. Roll your wrists in circles 5 times in each direction
• Apply massage oil or lotion to your hands using smooth rapid strokes to warm up the muscles – don’t forget the backs of your hands or between the fingers
• Pinch your fingertips, squeeze from side to side and front to back
• Starting at the base near the knuckle, massage each finger. Gently pull and twist working up to the fingertips
• Holding one hand in the other use your thumb to massage the back of your hand using smooth circular motions, spending extra time in areas that need more attention
• Hold one hand in the other, and massage your palm using small, circular, firm motions. Begin in the centre, and work your way to the sides, paying special attention to any sore areas. Finish each hand by pressing firmly on the centre of your palm for a few moments.

 

We’d love for you to share your self-care routine with us on our social media @stevalcandles or via emailing marketing@st-eval.com. We take great pride in seeing how our products are helping you find moments of peace and relaxation.  

Cover photo credit: Instagram @quinn_twin